Improvement in spice-boxes



T. W." BURGER. Spice-Box.

No. 199,896. Patented F'eb. 5,1878.

fl iin asses: In Veniori N. PETERS. PHOTO LITHOGR APMRPL WASHINGTON D O.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE W. BURGER, OF ILAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPICE-BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 199,896, dated February5, 1878; application filed February 3, 1877.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE W. BURGER, of Plainfield, in the county ofUnion and State of New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements inSpiceBoxes, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to that class of spiceboxes on one end of whichis provided a revolving plate having an inlet-opening capable of beingbrought coincident with another inlet-opening formed in the end of thebox, the parts when in this position permitting the filling of the box,the box being closed by simply turning the plate to bring its openingaway from the opening in the end of the box, the latter being closed bythe solid portion of the plate.

As hitherto constructed this class of boxes has been found objectionableand defective, because of the liability of leakage of the contents ofthe box out through the inlet-opening in the end, through and betweenthe plate itself and the end of thebox. This has arisen from the factthat the aforesaid plate, as hitherto constructed, has been providedwith a circumferential flange projecting down upon, the sides orcircumference of the box, and ,fr om its rigidity preventing thecircumference of the plate from fitting snug and close upon thecircumferential parts of the end.

My present invention is designed to obviate this drawback; and with thisintent it consists in a box of the class specified, constructed with amovable plate having the usual inletopening, but wholl y devoid of acircumferential flange, and having its circumferential edge restin gdirect upon the end of the box itself,whereby the object hereinbeforespecified is elfectually secured, it being expressly understood that bythis construction of the parts and their relative arrangement, incombination, as set forth, provision is made for the tight holding ofthe plate downward upon the top of the box by means of its centralpivot, without that liability to the outward leakage of the contents ofthe box which occurs when the plate is made with a circumferential outerpart or flange overlapping the periphery of the box.

The invention also comprises, in a spice-box of the class mentioned, a.detachable cover carrying a suitable closing andiopenin g plate,

having a large opening therein, and provided for operation inconjunction with a large opening in the said cover, and with a system ofperforations, provided either in the plate or in the cover, whereby theopening and closing and the sifting devices aforesaid maybe whollydetached from the body of the box, and the box itself used for anydesired purpose other than that for which it was originally intended.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a spice-box made accordingto my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, showing the largeopenings of the plate and of the cover coincident with each other. Fig.3 is a like view, showing the perforations of the plate coincident withthe large opening in the cover; and Fig. 4 is a like View, showing thesolid portion of the plate coincident with said opening in the cover toclose the box.

A is the body of the box, and B the cover thereof, the latter beingslipped upon the former, as represented more fully in Fig. 1. In thiscover is an opening, a, of considerable size-that is to say, of suchsize as to permit the contents of the box to be poured out in a stream,that as compared with the capacity of the box will be full and rapid inemptying.

Upon this cover B is placed the plate (3,.

axially attached to the cover by a rivet or pin, 1), which holds theplate firmly down upon the cover, but permits the plate to turn uponsaid rivet or pin as upon apivot. In order to facilitate this turning,spurs a may be provided upon the periphery of the plate 0, to enable thesame to be more readily grasped by the fingers. The opening a, mayoccupy, as it were, one-third portion of the plate 0. An adjacent thirdportion is occupied by a number of perforations, c, which form co]lectively a system of perforations. The re maining portion f of thisplate is solid.

It will be especially noted that the group or system of perforations maybe made either in the cover or the cap, the periphery of the plateresting snug upon the top of the box. forming, as it were, a compressedjoint between such periphery and the said top, thereby closing the saidopening against the outward flow of the contents of the box, and theescape of the contents from under the periphery is rendered impossible,thus remedying a defect and inconvenience in the cans heretofore madewith a flanged or overlapping edge.

When it is desired to use the box as a dredge-box, the system ofperforations c is brought coincident With the opening a, and thecontents of the box may then be sifted out through the openings to andperforations c.

When, moreover, it is desired that the contents of the box shall bepoured out more rapidly, as it were, in a stream of considerable volume,the large opening a* of the plate 0 is brought coincident with theopening a, thereby permitting such rapid outflow of the contents of thebox.

Inasmuch as the cover B is itself detachable from the body A of the box,the former may be lifted from the latterwhen, for example, the latter isto be more rapidly filled than would be possible through the openings,

and when the latter are brought coincident,

as hereinbefore explained.

I do not claim a spice-box in which the top or cover is constructed witha plate overlapping the outer periphery of the box, the object of myinvention being to remedy the defects found by experience to exist in aspice-box thus constructed; but

What I do claiJn as my invention is In a dredge-box of the classspecified, the movable revolving plate having the usual inlet-opening,but devoid of a circumferential flange, and having its circumferentialedge pressed directly upon the unmilled, unribbed end of the box,specifically as herein set forth.

rnnononnvv. BURGER.

Witnesses:

EDWARD HOLLY, H. WELLS, Jr.

